Means for venting air pockets of ice cans



July 9, 1935. M. J. ULINE I MEANS FOR VENTING AIR POCKETS OF ICE CANS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 7, 1934 July 9; 1935. M. J. ULINE MEANS FOR VENTING AIR POCKETS OF ICE CANS Filed May 7; 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 2,007,841 MEANS FOR VENTING AIR POCKETS or ICE CANS

20 Claims.

This invention relates to certainnew and useful improvements in means for venting the air pocketsof ice cans used in the manufacture of cakes of ice, the object being to provide a yieldably supported member adapted to be arranged within a dip tank having a plurality of flexible pipes disposed to extend into the pockets formed in the bottom of the cans so that when the cans are submerged within the liquid of the tank, air trapped in the pockets under the bottoms of the cans, is allowed to escape so as to allow the liquid of the tank to come in direct contact with the bottom of the cans.

My invention is especially adapted to be used in connection with dip tanks containing hot water and when used in connection with a dip tank, will allow the air to escape so that the hot Water will come in direct contact with the bottom of the can.

In the manufacture of ice as now carried out in the majority of ice plants, cans with raised bottoms are employed which forms a pocket in which air is trapped when the can is lowered into the liquid in the tank and this air forms an insulation to prevent the hot liquid from coming in contact with the bottom of the can so that when used in connection with a dip tank, the melting of the block of ice in the can is retarded at the bottom and the sides melt before the bottom so that the freeing of. the block from the can is retarded.

' My invention also prevents the liquid of the v tank to which my device is applied from bubbling tank;

over by the air escaping from the pockets of the cans as I have found in practice that as the series of cans are lowered into, the tank of liquid,v

the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims; In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a tank showing in dotted lines a unit of. cansin position to be lowered into the tank;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section, partly broken away;

T Figure 3 is a transverse section of my improved construction of device in raised position within a companion application filed April 28, 1934, Serial 10 Number 722,972.

In the drawings i indicates a rectangular metal tank which isprovided with partitions 2 and 3 forming pits i and 5 at each end in which are mounted weights ii and i for the purpose hereinafter fully described. Disposed longitudinally within the tank I is a hollow member in the form of a pipe ii provided with a plurality of. nipples 9 herein shown sixteen in number, to each of which is connected a short section of a rubber hose 10.

One end of the member 8 carries a check valve casing H in which is mounted a swinging check valve i2 and the other end of the member is provided witha vertical pipe portion it of sufiicient length to allow the end of the same to always be above the level of the liquid within the tank. The ends of the member 8 carry brackets it and 5 to which are connected cables Wand i'i which pass over pulleys l8 and I9 and have their free ends connected to the weights 6 and i which counterbalance the pipe 3 and normally hold itin raised position.

In Figure 1 I have shown a unit of cans 20, each can having a raised bottom H which forms a pocket 22 into which air is trappedwhen lowered into the liquid contained within the tank.

The brackets M and I5 are slidably mounted in suitable guideways i i and i 5 carried by the partitions 2 and 3 of the tank.

While I have shown the pipe section slidably mounted in this construction of guide, I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not wish to limit myself to any particular manner of guiding the pipe in its up and down movement.

One of the flexible pipe sections ll extends into the pocket of each can and in'the manufacture of, ice; these units of cans are removed from the brine tank by a crane and are inserted into the dip tank by the crane and when a unit of cans is lowered into the dip tank, the. cans would engage the member and when the cans become submerged, the pressure of the fluid will'force the air trapped into the pockets 22 of the cans out through the pipe Iii, nipple 9, pipe 5 and up the Vertical end E3 of the pipe so as'to allow the air" trapped into these pockets to escape without causing bubbles and forming positive means for venting the pockets of the cans to allow the hot water to come into contact with the bottom.

In Figure 5 I have shown atank23providedwith pits 24 at each end in which are arranged weights 25 carrying pulleys 26 over which passes a cable 21, one end of the cable being connected at 28 to a bracket secured to the top of the pit and the other end passing over a pulley 258 and has its end connected to a rod 30 carried by a guard 3| which is mounted to move up and down within the tank 23 by guiding means 32, all of which is constructed substantially as shown in my companion application filed April 28, 1934, Serial Number 722,972.

In this construction the guard forms a cover for the tank to protect the tank and it is so constructed that it is locked in raised position so that one or more persons can walk on the same without it yielding but will yield to the excessive weight of a unit of cans.

The particular manner of constructing the guard and mounting the same within the tank forms no part of this invention as I am aware that a guard can be mounted in various ways Within a tank to move up and down so as to protect the tank when the cans are removed without departing from the spirit of my invention and it would not affect the operation of my improved construction of venting means when applied thereto.

The venting means herein shown consists of a horizontal pipe 33 constructed identical as disclosed in Figures 1, 2, 3 and i, and the only difference between this construction and the construction disclosed in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 is that the venting device is carried by aguard while in the other figures, the weights are connected directly thereto so as to allow it to move up and down in the tank as the cans are inserted and removed.

In using my improved construction of venting device in connection with a guard, suitable openings are formed in the guard to allow the flexible pipe sections to extend therethrough in order to allow these pipe sections to extend within the pockets of the cans when arranged on the platform of the guard and in this embodiment of my invention, the cans rest on the platform instead of the pipes as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In both embodiments of my invention I have shown flexible pipe sections it which are carried by the nipples of the horizontally disposed pipe as being bent over in order to bring a portion of the pipe up against the bottom of the can to allow all of the air to escape but I am aware that various changes can be made as vertically disposed pipe sections could be provided with notches at their upper ends to allow the air to escape.

In constructing my improved construction of venting device a horizontally disposed pipe 8 is preferably arranged on a slight incline in order to allow the water to drain freely out of the same when in raised position.

In the operation of a venting device constructed in accordance with my invention as herein shown and described, assuming that the device is inthe position in Figure 2 within a vat or tank, when a series of cans are lowered into the vat, the pipe sections It will extend into the pockets formed by the raised bottoms of the cans and as the cans are lowered, the pressure of the water will close the swinging valve and the air trapped in the pockets 22 of the cans will escape through the pipe sections Iii, nipples 9 and pipe 8 by the pressure exerted by the water and after the air has escaped, the pipe sections may contain a little water which has entered through the check valve and when the cans are raised so as to remove the same from the tank, the pipe sections will follow the cans until it is in raised position and any water which has entered the pipe sections will pass out through the swinging valve.

It will be noted that the construction of venting device is so mounted that it follows the cans as they are being lowered and raised within the tank so that the venting pipe sections are always within the pockets.

While I have shown certain detailed means for mounting the venting device within a tank so as to move up and down with the unit of cans, it is, of course, understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the details of mounting and moving this venting device as I am aware that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as my invention consists in yieldingly holding a venting device within a tank so as to allow it to move up and down with the cans as they are insert-ed within the tank and removed therefrom so as to vent the air from the air pockets formed under the bottoms of the cans.

The flexible pipe sections form flexible tips for the nipples to prevent the cans from being injured when placed in position thereon and to position the outlets adjacent the bottom of the cans within the pockets so that all of the air will be free to pass out from within the pockets.

In the operation of my improved construction 01" venting device for cans as herein shown and described, liquid is maintained at a predetermined level within the tank and the device is maintained in a raised position therein above the level of the liquid within the tank and when a plurality of cans are lowered into the tank, the flexible tips of the nipples extend into the pockets and as the cans are submerged, the air is forced from out of the pockets so as to allow the liquid to come in direct contact with the bottom of the cans which facilitates the handling of the cans as it reduces the time required to either freeze a can of liquid or melt a block of ice.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a tank adaptedto contain liquid in which cans are adapted to be submerged, having raised bottoms forming pockets and means yieldingly supported in the tankfor venting the air pockets under the cans when submerged within the liquid of the tank.

2. The combination with a tank, of a horizontally disposed pipe having a vertical portion yieldably supported in said tank and adapted to move up and down therein and a plurality of nipples carried by said pipe.

3. The combination with a tank, of a horizontally disposed hollow member having a vertical portion yieldably supported in said tank and a plurality of flexible nipples carried by said hollow member.

4. In a device of the kind described, a tank adapted to contain liquid in which ice cans having raised bottoms forming pockets are adapted to be submerged, a yieldably supported cover for the tank and means carried by the cover preventing air pockets under the cans when submerged in said tank.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, a hollow member movably supported in said tank provided with a plurality of vertically disposed 2,007,84 1 nipples, a rubber hose section carried by said nipples, said member being provided with an upwardly extending portion and means for yieldably supporting said member in raised position within said tank. I

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank in which liquid is adapted to be maintained at a predetermined level, of a hollow member movably supported in said tank provided with a plurality of vertically disposed nipples, said member being provided with an upwardly extending portion at one end and a check valve at the other end and means for yieldingly supporting said member in raised position within said tank.

7. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank in which a liquid is adapted to be maintained at a predetermined level, of a hollow member movably supported in said tank provided with a plurality of vertically disposed nipples, said member being provided with an upwardly extending portion and an outwardly swinging check valve carried by said member and means for yieldably supporting said member in raised position within said tank.

8. In a device for venting air pockets under cans used for freezing blocks of ice, the combination with a tank, of a hollow member movably mounted in said tank having a plurality of nip-- ples over which the cans are adapted to be ar ranged, an outlet for said hollow member extend ing above the liquid for said tank, an outwardly swinging check valve for said hollow member and means for normally holding said member in raised position within said tank.

9. In a device for venting the pockets of ice cans, the combination with a tank, of a guard for said tank and a device carried by said guard having a plurality of nipples over which the cans are arranged for allowing the air trapped under the cans to escape when said cans are submerged in said tank.

10. In a device of the kind described, a tank in which cans having pockets are adapted to be submerged, a guard for said tank, means for normally holding said guard in raised position and a device carried by said guard for venting the pockets of said cans when said can is submerged in said tank.

11. In a device for venting the air pockets of cans employed for manufacturing blocks of ice, the combination with a tank, of a guard for said tank yieldably supported thereon and on which the cans are adapted to be placed to be submerged within said tank and a device carried by said guard for venting the pockets of said cans when submerged within said tank.

12. A device for venting pockets in cans employed for freezing blocks of ice comprising a hollow member having a vertically disposed portion and an outwardly swinging check valve.

13. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank, of a hollow member movably mounted in said tank having an upwardly extending portion at one end, a plurality of nipples extending upwardly from said hollow member over which cans are adapted to be placed to be submerged within said tank, weighted cables connected to said hollow member for normally holding said member in raised position above the liquid in said tank, an outwardly swinging check valve for allowing said member to drain when in raised position.

14. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank of a guard movably mounted in said tank, weights for normally holding said guard in raised position and a device carried by said guard for venting the cans when submerged within said tank.

15. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, of a hollow member movably mounted in said tank, cables connected to said hollow member, weights connected to said cables, said hollow member being provided with a plurality of vertically disposed nipples, said hollow member having an upper extension at one end and a check valve at the other end, said weights forming means for yieldably supporting said hollow member within said tank.

16. Means for venting air pockets under cans employed in the manufacture of blocks of ice, comprising a hollow member adapted to be submerged with said cans and provided with nipples extending into the pockets formed under said cans.

17. The combination with a tank, of a guard for said tank, weights for normally holding said guard in raised position, means for locking said guard in raised position and a device carried by said guard for venting the air pockets of cans when submerged in said tank.

18. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tank in which a liquid is adapted to be maintained at a predetermined level, guideways carried by the tank, a hollow member provided with projections working in said guideways, a plurality of vertically disposed nipples carried by said hollow member, said member being provided with an upwardly extending portion and an outwardly swinging check valve carried by said member and means for yieldably supporting said member in raised position within said tank to allow said member to move up and down within said tank.

19. The combination with a tank, of a horizontally disposed hollow member slidably mounted within said tank, yielding means for normally holding said hollow member in raised position within said tank, said hollow member being provided with a plurality of inlet nipples.

20. The combination with a tank, of a guard for said tank, yielding means for normally holding said guard in raised position, means for looking said guard in raised position and a device moving with said guard for venting the air pockets of the cans when submerged in said tank.

MIGIEL J. ULINE. 

